Final answer:
To calculate the work performed by an ideal gas during expansion, the formula W = -Pext ∆V is used, and the result is converted from liter-atmospheres to joules using the conversion 1 L•atm = 101.32 J. However, the final volume is needed to determine the work, which is not provided in the given example.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a gas expands against an external pressure, the work done by the gas can be calculated using the formula W = -Pext ∆V, where W represents the work, Pext is the external pressure, and ∆V is the change in volume. Using the conversion 1 L•atm = 101.32 J, we can convert the work from liter-atmosphere to joules, the common unit for energy.
In this scenario, to find the work done by an ideal gas contained in a 1.00 L container with an initial pressure of 16.0 atm that expands against a constant external pressure of 1.00 atm to a final volume, we would need the final volume value to calculate the change in volume. However, since the final volume is not provided, we cannot calculate the exact amount of work performed.
For example, using exercise 7.3.1 as a reference, if a gas expands from 0.66 L to 1.33 L against an external pressure of 0.775 atm, we would calculate the work as follows: W = -0.775 atm × (1.33 L - 0.66 L). After finding the work in L•atm, we would then convert it to joules using the conversion factor provided.